Two 60 minute workshops will be held each day during the meetings at lunch time (these will not conflict with the conference program). Each workshop will accommodate up to 50 participants. Students and early career scientists will register through the conference website during registration. Participants will pay €5 during registration towards a subsidized lunch to reserve their place. Delegates are asked not to book into more than two of these events to ensure that all Early Career delegates have the chance to attend some of the program. In addition, several events open to all students and early career scientists (mentoring, pop-up talks, speed mentoring) will be held during the conference.

6th International Clumped Isotope Workshop

The aims of this 2.5 day workshop are to bring together current and aspiring practitioners of clumped isotope measurements, to share practical knowledge and methodologies, to present new technical advances, and to discuss best practices, particularly in terms of data reporting, standardization and comparison of measurements from different groups. Notably, presentations and discussions will be organized around themes including the following aspects of the clumped isotopes methodological and interpretational frameworks: data processing, inter-lab standardization and data reporting, interpreting D47 values in carbonates, signal preservation, calibration, non-equilibrium processes, clumped isotopes in atmospheric CO2 and other molecules, and instrumental advances.

DINGUE #5: Developments In Noble Gas Understanding and Expertise

The DINGUE conference has became the traditional meeting of the noble gas geo/cosmo chemists. During this two days meeting, noble gas geo- and cosmo-chemists are invited to discuss technical and scientific aspects of new noble gas applications to terrestrial and extraterrestrial sciences. This year, the meeting will be in Paris (in IPGP), before the Goldschmidt 2017, which will be held in Paris.
Location
The workshop will be held at IPGP in the centre of Paris.
Registration
Registration can be made online via the Goldschmidt conference registration.
Abstracts
You can send a short abstract of 300 words
Contacts
Pr M. Moreira (IPGP _ Paris, France): moreira at ipgp.fr
Dr H. Busemann (ETH Zürich, Switzerland) : henner.busemann at erdw.ethz.ch
Previous DINGUE meetings
Dingue 1 in Nancy
Dingue 2 in Paris
Dingue 3 in Florence: http://www.noblegasgeochemistry.com/dingue3/#home
Dingue 4 in Nancy : http://www.noblegasgeochemistry.com/dingue3/#home

Geochemical Modeling with ORCHESTRA

This two-day course will teach the participants to set up geochemical modelling cases using the software-package ORCHESTRA. Special attention will be given to modelling using advanced adsorption models i.e. the NICA-Donnan for metal binding to organic matter; the Generalized Two Layer Model for ion binding to (hydrous) oxides (Al,Fe,Mn) and the CD-MUSIC model for ion binding to (hydrous) ferric oxide. The optimisation of model parameters using ORCHESTRA in combination with PEST will be demonstrated with a case to optimise proton and metal binding parameters for the NICA-Donnan model based on experimental data. We will discuss the multi-surface approach to model metal partitioning and speciation in soils, sediments and surface water systems and the possibility to combine this with reactive transport modelling. The course includes introductions to the topics and practical sessions to work with the model.

Geochemical Modelling Workshop. Using PHREEQC for laboratory and industrial applications.

This two day workshop will provide an introduction to geochemical modeling and the USGS geochemical / thermodynamic modeling code PHREEQC. PHREEQC is a free, well-supported software code and one of the most, widely used code amongst academia and industry. We will present the different geochemical modeling steps, from the definition of a conceptual model to the geochemical calculations within PHREEQC. We will also present exercises drawn from the presenters’ experiences, both in a laboratory setting and applied industrial setting. The workshop will take place in four sessions. The first day will provide an introduction to geochemical models, the conceptualization of the problems, and an overview of the thermodynamics that govern PHREEQC and the definitions within the databases. We will make a point of discussing the thermodynamic databases available within PHREEQC, their issues and the possible ways to overcome these. We will also provide the basic skills needed to use PHREEQC, including the definition of inputs and outputs, of solid and aqueous solutions, and of the reactions and equilibrium calculations. The second day will provide a more in-depth look at the possibilities offered by PHREEQC in terms of kinetic, transport, and sorption calculations. The aim is to develop an understanding of how to extract the equations defining the reactivity of mineralogical phases from the literature or experimental data and integrate these into PHREEQC. We will then show how to use sorption experiments to define attenuation equations and sorption blocks in the program and provide an introduction to transport simulations.
The workshop will be held at the IPGP.

Mineral-fluid reactions: from rocks to atoms. Computer simulations and models at different scales

A workshop on numerical modelling of mineral reaction kinetics It will cover basic modeling tools: ab initio, Molecular Dynamics (MD), Kinetic and equilibrium Monte Carlo (KMC and MC), Lattice Boltzmann (LB) techniques. These methods are frequently mentioned and used within the geochemical community. However, since they are not commonly taught in a typical geochemical curriculum of the universities, they also commonly treated as obscure “black box” methods. Therefore, the main goal of the workshop is to overcome this problem and provide a comprehensive overview of these techniques used to study kinetic processes at different scales. The workshop will consist of lectures followed by practical seminars with hands-on exercises. We start from the Lattice Boltzmann mass transport modelling at the rock pore scale, then move to the mineral-water interface processes understood by means of KMC and MC methods, then “zoom in” into the molecular reaction mechanisms at an atomistic levels. The lecture addressing the connections between the macroscopic rate laws and microscopic scale phenomena, and the corresponding “round table” discussion will finalize the workshop. The workshop is oriented to PhD students, postdocs and earlier carrier research scientists willing to learn and use simulation techniques for mineral-fluid reactions treated as interfacial phenomena. Our goal is to share our modelling experience with the geochemical community and establish interdisciplinary collaborations between the groups studying mineral reaction kinetics at different scales using a variety of computational and experimental techniques.

Molecular dynamics simulations of biogeochemical systems

This 2-day workshop will offer fundamental theory and hands-on training in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a focus on (bio)geochemical systems. It targets beginners as well as experienced modelers who would like to use the Gromacs suite of MD simulation programs in their research.

The lectures and tutorials of this workshop will cover the fundamentals of molecular mechanics and simulation ensembles, elementary molecular potential parameterization, and an introduction to widely used forcefields for liquid water, organic molecules, and minerals in geochemical systems, including CLAYFF (Cygan et al. 2004) and INTERFACE (Heinz et al. 2005, 2013). The workshop also will discuss different types of enhanced sampling and free energy methods, illustrated by examples from current research.

The hands-on tutorials will describe methods for creating molecular systems (clays, zeolites, metal oxides and organic solutes) and input files, run simulations, and analyse simulation output to determine structural, dynamic, and thermodynamic properties. The hands-on part of the workshop will use the Gromacs MD simulation package.

Recent advances in nanoscale analytical techniques have allowed geoscientists to examine crystallographic, microstructural, chemical and isotopic distributions at length scales that were previously inaccessible. Methods such as EBSD, transmission-EBSD, high-resolution SEM and TEM, FIB-based ToF-SIMs mapping, and Atom Probe Microscopy are providing new insights into geochemical phenomena and processes. As a result, there is growing interest within the geochemistry community in how these techniques can be best exploited. Although powerful techniques by themselves, the full value of these characterization methods is usually realized by combining several techniques in a single study – an approach known as ‘correlative microscopy’. The complementary nature of these nanoscale methods allows their relative strengths to be harnessed to overcome the challenges involved in extracting geologically and geochemically significant information at nanometer length scales. This workshop is aimed at researchers interested in learning more about nanoscale analysis of geological materials, and the techniques that can be employed to achieve optimum results. The workshop will be held over two days and will include an introduction to multiple characterization techniques, with discussion of their relative merits and potential for complimentary analysis. Examples of nanoscale geoscience applications will also be presented.

Nanoscience in the Earth and Environmental Sciences—Research and Teaching Opportunities

Nanoscience is a frontier area of research that provides abundant opportunities in the Earth and environmental sciences. Currently, the Earth and environmental sciences are underrepresented in their participation in this revolutionary field which has produced emarkable fundamental advances in all fields of science and engineering. This workshop will introduce fundamental principles of nanoscience, with an emphasis on the instrumentation and facilities that are now available for characterization of nanoparticles, and to understand how chemical and physical behaviors at the nanoscale deviate from bulk behavior at the macroscale. Applications to the Earth system that will be addressed include fundamental Earth processes (e.g., related to sorption, catalysis, redox, dissolution/precipitation, biogeochemistry, geophysical properties, reactions observed on the nanoscale, global implications) to applications of highest importance to society (e.g., energy capture, storage and transfer; water quality; nanopollutants; climate change; nanoparticles and human health; transport and fate of engineered and incidental nanoparticles in the Earth system). This workshop will also explore opportunities to teach nanoscience across the geoscience curriculum in stand-alone courses, or as part of more traditional courses, and to consider social and ethical issues of the impact of nanoscience. The goal is to stimulate interest and accelerate participation by geoscientists in this transdisciplinary field of research which is well established as one of the most recent scientific revolutions. Opportunities to use resources of the US National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, which welcomes participation from anywhere in the world, will be described. This workshop is sponsored by the US National Science Foundation National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) grants to the Virginia Tech Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology (NanoEarth) and Montana Nanotechnology Facility (MONT). Workshop fees are partially underwritten by these projects so fees for Euro 130. This workshop is also sponsored by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT).

Training Course on Marine Radioactivity

Over the past 50 years, natural and anthropogenic radionuclides have been instrumental in addressing many important questions in oceanographic research. Yet knowledge gaps remain regarding their spatial and depth distributions and the temporal evolution of many radionuclides of importance to both oceanographic and human health issues. In order to meet the need for students and researchers to have the knowledge and skills that enable them to successfully address issues associated with the field of marine radioactivity and radioecology, the SCOR Working Group 146 “Radioactivity in the Ocean, 5 Decades Later (RiO5)” has developed materials for the short term training of both junior and senior researchers. The first training workshop was hosted by the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science Xiamen University, China on June 8-10, 2016 (http://mel.xmu.edu.cn/conference/RIO5/index.asp). From the very positive feedback on the first training course, we see a high demand for additional training workshops that convene scientists and students to gain the fundamentals within the field. The purpose of this training course at the 2017 Goldschmidt conference is to train graduate students and young professionals who are interested in or will pursue radiochemistry research and management. The one day course will include lectures cover the following subjects: natural, anthropogenic, and cosmogenic radioisotopes in the marine environment; radioecology, tracer and dating techniques, other applications of radionuclides as ocean tracers, and a brief introduction on radioanalytical methods.

Analysis of Natural and Engineered Nanoparticles is Aqueous and Soil Systems by Single Particle ICP-MS

Nanoparticles, defined as particulate mater with dimensions less than 100 nm, play a key role in biogeochemistry and pollutant transport. NPs can also be potential anthropogenic contaminants of concern in their own right. New developments in single particle ICP-MS gives us a powerful tool to examine the abundance and characteristics of NPs, both natural and engineered, in geological and environmental systems. Through the use of element-specific quantitation by ICP-MS, the number concentration and size distribution of NPs in complex media such as soils, natural waters, biological tissues, and atmospheric deposition samples can be obtained. This course provides morning lectures on the theory of single particle ICP-MS as well as some applications of geochemical and environmental interest. In the afternoon, hands on training will be provided through the analysis of various data sets using commercial and custom software packages. The workshop attendees will gain from the workshop a practical working knowledge of single particle ICP-MS analysis.

Boron environmental geochemistry workshop

This one day workshop aims to bring together people using or interested by using boron isotopes to understand the Earth’s surface dynamics. Not only have boron and boron isotopes been used as proxy for paleo-pH applications, boron is also receiving an increasing interest in for constraining important surface processes such as the transformation of rocks into soils, biorecycling in the Critical Zone and biological reactions, neoformation of minerals in the ocean and during diagenesis, hydrothermal reactions or to trace anthropogenic impact. The workshop will also offer the opportunity for an update on analytical techniques for measuring boron isotopes in biological and geological materials or the introduction of shared reference materials. The meeting will consist of half an hour talks allowing detailed presentations and a poster session. We hope that the workshop will help developing the key future research direction on boron isotope geochemistry.

The measurement of the exact mass of a molecule with high enough resolution and accuracy brings the chemical analysis to a new scale of interpretation. The access granted to the full stoichiometric content of a large variety of mixtures requires new dedicated tools for description and analysis. In Earth and Planetary Science fields, FT-MS is becoming the technique of choice for 4 main purposes: 1-Isotopic and elemental composition 2-Molecular and structure identification 3-Chemical patterns and mixture complexity 4-Variability in time and space Each point raises typical issues with peculiar algorithmic solutions. This workshop is an invitation for researchers to present how they find trustworthy molecular formulas from exact masses, interpret MS² fragmentation patterns, compare hundreds of spectra in time (chromatography) or space (mapping) or describe the complexity of a mixture itself. We will focus on the intimate link between the analytical tools and the scientific goals, trying to bring out similarities, regardless of the actual field in which measurement are carried out. Content: The workshop will focus on the description of the different tools used by different groups. Each theme will be illustrated by a couple of speakers presenting a particular issue and how it is solved. Live demonstration of tool performances are encouraged and should be part of discussions as well.

Introduction to Using ET_Redux for processing, visualizing and archiving U-series Data

Participants will be introduced to new software being developed for the U-series community. The workshop is ideal for faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students who are interested in learning more about U-series geochronology and emerging cyberinfrastructure to support the analysis, discovery, and archiving of U-series data. In particular, the workshop will focus on developments that have been incorporated into existing cyberinfrastructure (ET_Redux) to upload, analyze, and visualize data as well as produce publication quality figures and tables. In addition to introducing the new capabilities of this software, we are seeking feedback from the community on further features and functionalities that could be added to the existing platform. Familiarity with this system will be essential for both producers and users of geochronology as analytical precision, accuracy, and spatial resolution improve, as data sets become larger, and as opportunities proliferate to integrate geochronology with other types of geochemical, petrologic, and stratigraphic information.

Reliability of geochemical data: How do we know?

This one day workshop will introduce the following key themes for assessing the quality of geochemical data • Discuss the latest practices for the production of “reliable” geochemical data that are associated with small measurement uncertainties. • Provide an overview of method validation, and the proper use of reference materials. • Describe the role of measurement uncertainty and how it is effected by such issues as sample preparation, sample heterogeneity and data acquisition. • Highlight the role of the IAG and its support of the geoanalytical community.

Oral Presentation Skills for Students

Giving your first presentation at an international conference can be a daunting prospect. During this one-day workshop, students will have the opportunity to practise their Goldschmidt talks in small groups led by young scientists experienced in giving oral presentations. Specific help and guidance will be provided for students whose first language is not English, and group leaders will be trained and coordinated by a professional English language instructor. A workshop manual will be made available in advance to help students design and prepare their presentations before arriving in Paris.
Booking for this workshop will open after the conference scheduling has been completed.